The Tales of You and I
by Lady Shadow
Summary: Mia is really not Brian's type, so Dom is going to decide who is.
1. Prologue

All disclaimers always apply. I don't own any of it.  
  
The Tales Of You and I  
  
Lady Shadow  
  
Of Red and Gold  
  
like blood and sunlight  
  
Of Green and Silver  
  
like emeralds and moonlight  
  
Of Purple and Black  
  
and Black and Blue  
  
Of Songs and Silence  
  
Of me and you  
  
  
  
Of Ink and Roses  
  
and blotches and slashes  
  
Of Splatters and Tears  
  
and faded edges  
  
Of Tattered seams and Frayed silver lining  
  
of drifts of clouds and pouring rain  
  
Of me and you  
  
Of you and I  
  
  
  
Book One:  
  
The Change in Us  
  
PROLOGUE::  
  
"Brian, I need to talk to you," Mia said quietly after dinner, pulling him down the hall.  
  
"What's up, Mia?" he asked anxiously. She smiled up at him a little tightly.  
  
"Brian...I don't think we should see each other any more," she told him in a rush, just needing to get the words out. The first thing that went through Brian's head was not, 'I'm losing my girlfriend' but, 'I'm losing my contact.' That scared him.  
  
"Mia, is this..." he lowered his voice and lead her into her bedroom. "Is this about your brother?" She shook her head quickly.  
  
"It has nothing to do with my brother, and everything to do with us. I'm sorry, Brian, we just don't work. I'm not your type."  
  
"How do you know my type?" he demanded harshly, his mind screaming that he was losing the case and his cover. Mia was his ticket to Dominic Toretto; he couldn't lose that.  
  
"Trust me, Bri, I'm not it," she said, her lips curled slightly in amusement. "I know who you would be better with, but I'm not going to tell you who it is. I don't think you want to hear it right now." Brian rolled his eyes and gave her a 'no, really?' look. She laughed at him.   
  
"I can't believe your laughing at me!" His mind was saying to pull a stunt, start crying or whimpering and beg her to stay, but his pride had long since taken over.   
  
"I'm sorry, that face is just so funny," she told him. He glared at her.  
  
"Thank you," he quipped, then turned and stormed out of the room. Mia followed him hastily; she did not want Dom to get a hold of him just yet.  
  
"Hey! Where are you going?" Dom asked sharply when Brian grabbed his coat and headed for the door.   
  
"I don't think it would be a good idea for me to stay right now, I'll see ya' later." But Dom would hear nothing of it.   
  
"I don't think so! Get back here, and sit down. Letty made apple pie for dessert."  
  
"Dominic, I really-"  
  
"Sit. Now!" The better part of his senses decided to take over and he dropped his jacket over a chair before moving back to the table and taking his seat. Mia sat next to him slowly.   
  
"Good little bitch," Vince teased viciously, reaching across the table to take Brian's cheek in between his fingers.   
  
"You might want to be careful with those fingers," Brian warned before anyone else could say anything. "I've been known to bite," he added, a small smirk splitting his face. Vince growled at him, but removed his fingers.  
  
"Shut up, both of you!" Dom intervened, his apt glare trained on the two. Brian settled for looking at the plate of apple pie and vanilla ice cream that was set in front of him. Vince said nothing more and they continued desert quietly, but everyone could feel the tension between Brian and Mia, and thus consequently, between Dom and Brian. Brian left immediately after dinner, thanking Letty fleetingly for the meal.   
  
"Be here this weekend!" Dom called after him. Brian waved over one shoulder, climbed into his car and left. 


	2. Chapter One

ONE::  
  
Brian avoided the garage until Saturday morning.   
  
He was in a distinctly bad mood when he came into the house, his jacket slung over one arm and a cup of coffee in the opposite hand; he was *not* looking forward to today.  
  
"-won't understand!" Mia was insiting when he made it into the kitchen.  
  
"He'll understand," Dom returned, his eyes locked onto Brian's over Mia's shoulder. Mia twisted around and smiled at him.  
  
"Good morning, Brian," she said cheerfully, jumping up on the counter and looking at him expectantly. Brian's eyes narrowed and he carefully set his coffee and jacket down before moving forward cautiously.   
  
"What?" he asked slowly, his voice filled with suspicion. Mia shrugged innocently and Brian's glare deepened further yet when Vince stiffled a laugh. "What's going on?" This time the question was addressed to the whole room, but his eyes were on Vince. The man finally burst into all out laughter and shook his head as if to say, 'you'll just have to figure out for yourself' Brian growled, but the only response he got was a punctuated laugh from Vince and a pointed glare and eye roll from Dom.   
  
"Let's go," he said simply, walking toward the door. Vince followed him amiably, still laughing and Brian reluctantly moved after them, lost in his own thoughts and speculations. He was therefore startled when a decidedly masculine arm wound around his waist, the hand attached to the arm resting low on his hips. Redlights went off in his head and his startle-reflexes kicked in and he shoved his elbow into the other man's gut as he pushed his shoulder back and grabbed the hand. Before he was even aware of what he was doing, the man had been flipped over his shoulder and he was now straddling him securely, poised to do serious damage to his windpipe.   
  
"I don't think he quite understood!" The man-now recognizable as Leon-screamed. Dom stopped and turned around with an exasperated sigh before seeing the scene and rushing forward. It took a moment for Brian to relized he was being hauled off Leon and reluctantly allowed himself to be pulled away. Vince began laughing again and Dom looked like he was between laughing and pounding Brian's head against the closest hard object. Finally he began laughing. This only brought a deep growl and a glare from Brian.   
  
On the floor, Leon was spread eagled and he too was laughing; it seemed that the only one who didn't get the joke was Brian.   
  
"Perhaps it would be best if I explained it to him?" Mia suggested, stiffling her own laughter behind her hand, her eyes sparkling as if to say 'I told you so!' Dom agreed with a nod and gently pushed Brian toward Mia. Mia turned away from him and began walking toward the kitchen, obviously expecting Brian to follow.   
  
Once back in the kitchen, Mia poured two cups of coffee and offered him one.  
  
"I think you two make a cute couple," she said finally. Brian set the cup down as carefully as he could manage before screaming,  
  
"Am I missing something here?!"   
  
"I told them you wouldn't get it," Mia said by way of response, her head shaking slowly. Brian massaged his temples and tried to calm his frayed nerves; he really didn't need this!  
  
"Okay," he said very slowly, keeping a firm cap on his temper "explain this to me," She tipped her head to one side and regarded him steadily. It flashed through Brian's head that Mia really was treating him like nothing had happened, when everything had happened. Mia lowered herself to a chair and motioned with her head that Brian should do the same.  
  
"The thing is, Dom was rather angry with me when he found out I broke up with you; he thinks a great deal of you, you know," Brian winced inwardly, but did not show his guilt. "Anyways, not only did he not want to lose you because there were bad feelings between us, he thought you deserved someone a little more your type anyway," Brian closed his eyes slowly and contemplated hitting his head against the table; I'm not your type...  
  
"Christ! Is that what you meant by you not being my type?" she nodded slightly and nursed her cup of dark coffee. Brian felt acutely like screaming, but surpressed the urge to do so.   
  
"Don't feel so offended, Dom choose all their first boyfriends," Mia told him offhandedly. Brian gaped at her and blurted out the first thing that came to mind,  
  
"They're all gay?!" Mai laughed; he was really beginning to hate that laugh.  
  
"Not exactly. Dom is a firm believer that one shouldn't limit themselves in their prefences. Leon has been gay since his first boyfriend, Vince dated a guy for about three years-longest relationship he's ever had-but hasn't had another boyfriend since, Jesse keeps worming out of it, and Dom...well Dom's a little more complex. When he's with a guy, he's gay; when he's with a girl, he's straight; there's no in between with him." Brian continued to stare at her stupidly. On one hand, he was immediately defensive that someone dared to decide who he would and would not date, but in one small logical portion of his brain, he had to admitt that dating Leon would bring him close to Dom and the team-even more so than with Mia. But he still didn't like it, and he must have said so because Mia began laughing again.  
  
"Oh? I think you're just scared," she taunted. Brian glared at her again.   
  
"Of what?"  
  
"That you'll like it." Brian felt like laughing at her this time around, but didn't.  
  
"No, I am not," he responded instead. Mia gave him a jeering smile.  
  
"Prove it," she said. Brian reared back; as cliche-ish as it was, he had not expected that. He reverted to glaring. "You see, you are!" He very suddenly got the feeling that he was in third grade again, but couldn't resist the taunt and stood abruptly.   
  
"Fine," he hissed through clentched teeth, heading for the garage. It took all of two seconds to locate his 'boyfriend'. Leon was turned away from him, leaning over a tool chest and apparently reaching for something that had fallen behind it. He tossed Mia a malicious smirk over one shoulder before striding across the garage purposfully. She watched in astonishment as Brian abruptly spun Leon around and pulled him into a demanding, purposeful kiss; there was no doubt who was in charge of that one. By the time Leon had gathered his wits, and started to respond, Brian had left him and was continuing across the garage, picking up a box of tools and a handful of towels on the way. He promptly slid himself under a car and began working. Leon stared at him in shock and confusion, his gaze slipping between the visable part of his boyfriend and Mia. Mia shrugged and exchanged a glance with Letty before they both started laughing hysterically.   
  
For once, Brian was happy of the heady music and laughter, as it covered the sound of his choked sob. 


	3. Chapter Two

(Unbeta-ed)  
  
TWO::  
  
***************  
  
"Mia, what happened?" Dom demanded as soon as the hum of Brian's truck faded.   
  
"We broke up," she answered, standing to clear the table.  
  
"Excuse me?" Dom prompted, placing a hand on her arm to arrest her kitchen-bound motion.   
  
"I broke up with him," she clarified. Dom released her and ran both of his hands over his head.  
  
"Damnit Mia!" he hissed through clenched teeth.   
  
"It wasn't working, Dom! I know you like him, but it wasn't working. I'm not exactly his type," Mia snapped, turning and continuing to the kitchen.   
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" her brother demanded, following her.  
  
"It means that I'm not his type. He's needs a guy, Dom. I'm not enough for him-I don't think any woman would be."   
  
Dom shuddered in supressed rage and stalked out of the kitchen, stomping up the stairs and slaming his bedroom door behind him.   
  
Mia sighed; she knew Dom was angry with her, but she also knew that her older brother would not rest until he'd found someone more suitable for Brian than she was. Brian deserved that at least.   
  
**(((LEON)))**  
  
I don't think I've ever seen Dom in such a state. He's been up since two in the morning going through his roledex and computer databases, and compliling lists of suitable men for Brian. I wonder if he was like this before he introduced me to my first boyfriend, Jake.  
  
"Damn," Vince comments suddenly from behind me. I turn slightly to see him shaking his head, only half awake. It is only six after all and Vince usually doesn't get up before eight if he doesn't have to. "He really likes the kid-god only knows why," he finishes, yawning largely and wipping his eyes.   
  
"There's a lot about him to like," I say absently, almost to myself. Vince snorts.   
  
"Yah, lots; that tight ass, that sweet little pout. Lots to like about that bitch."  
  
"Leave up," I order, oddly defensive.   
  
"When did you get off protecting him? You used to hate him more than anyone." I shrug and turn back to watching Dom flip through the roledex, write a name down, cross out another, chew on the end of his pen, write another name, circle one, shake his head, then cross it out and start the process all over again.   
  
"You like the kid, don't you?" Vince asks suddenly, and I turn to glare at him before stalking down the hall and heading to the kitchen. Vince follows. "My god, you do! Well, he does have that nice, tight ass and all, but really-"  
  
"Leave up already!" I snap irritably. Vince rears back slightly, then a contemplative expression falls across his face and he's quiet.   
  
"You should offer yourself as a potential boyfriend if you like him that much. You could always try to go around Dom, but I wouldn't suggest it..."  
  
"I'm not going to 'offer' myself. I remember how pissed I was when Dom decided I was dating Jake and there was nothing I could do about it. Granted, it turned out good in the end, but I was still pissed as hell. And Brian's even more of a hot-head than I am."  
  
"He's going to get a boyfriend whether he likes it or not. I think he would probably prefer someone he knows rather than someone he doesn't. I was lucky and ended up dating one of my best friends, so I didn't have to get to know him all the sudden and our relationship didn't actually change much," Vince says, smirking and wiggling his eyebrows to show exactly what changed.   
  
"Brian and I are hardly best friends," I remind him, but I am seriously considering what he's said. Vince just shrugs, pours himself a cup of coffee and leaves. I remain in the kitchen, staring at my coffee as it slowly cools and steam stops rising from the top. 


End file.
